One million sold!

You might think be the title that some restaurant is gaining steam and is catching up to McDonalds. No, that is not the case. But today CPH has announced that the one millionth copy of Lutheran Service Book has been sold. And the book was only copyrighted in 2006! (Imagine confetti flying through the air, bells and whistles, perhaps even a firework or two. Or at least a sparkler.)

This is a big deal.

My love affair with Lutheran Service Book (LSB) is growing. The more I use LSB, the more wonderful I find it. It is extremely useful and helpful. I mean this in the best possible way, but Lutheran Worship (the predecessor to LSB) was not helpful or useful. It was 'time bound' to the chronological era in which is was created in haste. The same could be said for Lutheran Book of Worship, the general ELCA counterpart to LW. The altering of texts was not, and is not, a good thing. The alteration of texts does not respect the intelligence of the worshipers, who can read and understand what the text writers created.

The worship settings are good and cultivate a healthy diversity and help foster the unity of our church body. According to the CPH email, 80% of LCMS churches utilize LSB! This hymnal has been astoundingly adopted by sister congregations, and that is heartening. When traveling, you can find yourself at home, at a place that is familiar. And continuity does bring a sense of comfort.

The prayers included in the hymnal are quite beautiful and help us see our faith and our life as a single unit. Of course having the Small Catechism in the hymnal is good. The hymnody is great and I am so thrilled to sing the works of Paul Gerhardt and Stephen Starke in the same services.

I really think that, next to the Bible, the hymnal might be the greatest devotional resource a Christian can have in their home. It contains Scripture, prayers, and hymns. What else do we need?

Congratulations to CPH and the folks who put LSB together. If you do not have a copy- cph.org or 800.325.3040